Hudson Trial Jury Makes Video Requests

Friday is third day of deliberations

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Jurors in the Jennifer Hudson family murder trial asked to see two pieces of video during their third day of deliberations Friday.

The jury of six men and six women asked Judge Charles Burns to see videos shown in court of William Balfour's police interrogation and of Balfour's car at Robeson High School where it was dropped off.

The jury may be curious about the timeline of Balfour's whereabouts on the morning of the 2008 murders and whether he had enough time to drop Jason Hudson's SUV on Chicago's West Side.

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The judge granted both requests.

Jurors were sequestered a second night Thursday after they didn't reach a decision in the case of William Balfour, the man suspected of killing singer-actress Hudson's mother, Darnell Donnerson; brother, Jason Hudson; and nephew, Julian King.

Experts say it's not surprising the jury is taking so long to reach a verdict.

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"If you're going to convict somebody, you want to make sure, even if it seems like the evidence is super strong, that you've gone through, piece by piece, given them their due, before you send them to jail," said jury consultant William Healy.

There is much to consider.

Jurors must weigh the prosecution's theory that Balfour acted in a jealous rage on threats to kill Julia Hudson and her family against the defense theory that Jason Hudson's drug business made the Englewood home a target for his enemies.

Healy said the rule of thumb is typically one day of deliberations for each week of a trial. Testimony in Balfour's trial lasted a little more than two weeks.

Published at 3:39 PM CDT on May 11, 2012 | Updated at 4:49 PM CDT on May 11, 2012